1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to medical equipment and methods for evaluating radiographs. More particularly, though not exclusively, the present invention relates to a digital radiograph analyzer, software, and methods for evaluating foot and ankle radiographs.
2. Problems in the Art
Physicians and other care providers have long recognized the value of measuring and comparing osseous relationships. Having the benefit of various angles and distances on a patient's radiograph can be helpful in evaluating different medical conditions. Podiatric physicians have utilized this information concerning the foot and ankle in preoperative and postoperative evaluation, following traumatic injury and in biomechanical assessments.
Although prior art equipment and methods for quantifying osseous relationships have enjoyed some success, they suffer from several inherent problems. The first problem concerns the accuracy of the measurements. Manual radiograph measurement is often used in quantifying the osseous relationships in the foot and ankle. In this prior art method, measurements are determined by selecting landmarks on the radiograph. Lines between selected landmarks or points are drawn with a wax pen and the relative angles measured using a tractograph, goniometer or protractor. Unfortunately, this manual method is often unreliable and inaccurate due to landmark variability, line drawing variability and lack of standardization of the measuring device. And yet physicians rely upon these measurements in making decisions about treatment. Not only does the quality of care suffer, but physicians are at a greater risk of being subjected to malpractice claims. Thus, there is a need in the art for a more accurate and reliable means and method of measuring the osseous relationships in foot and ankle radiographs.
Important to the accuracy of the foot and ankle measurements is the selection of proper landmarks on the radiograph. For instance, to accurately measure the angle between lines on a foot radiograph, the clinician must select landmarks on the radiograph that accurately define the two lines. Much has been written regarding the use of landmarks in quantifying the osseous relationships in foot and ankle radiographs. However, there are no standard sets of landmarks for evaluating foot and ankle conditions. Thus, there is also a need in the art for a defined set of landmarks from which clinically useful measurement information could be derived concerning a particular condition.
Prior art methods of radiograph evaluation tend to be tedious and time-consuming. It is common for clinicians to spend ten to fifteen minutes in measuring a radiograph for a particular foot and ankle condition. This becomes a labor-intensive process for clinicians and office staff, diverting resources away from other care giving activities. Thus, there is also a need in the art for a more efficient means and method of evaluating foot and ankle radiographs.
Prior art methods of radiograph measurement and evaluation also do not lend themselves easily to private practice and outcomes research. Patient information regarding age, sex, preoperative measurements, procedure and postoperative measurements is not generally maintained in a digital format in a central location that can be accessed by means of a computer. It would be helpful for physicians and researchers to have the benefit of historical patient data for practice management applications and outcomes research. A need therefore also exists in the art for an improved means and method of evaluating foot and ankle radiographs wherein the clinical measurements are captured and can be easily accessed for practice management and outcomes research studies.